The Second
by nyanja14
Summary: At the end of a war, hitzusen strikes as the most unlikely of meetings occurs. Warnings: kurofai and some dark themes. Rating may change.
1. End of a War

A/N: I know, I know, there are so many other things I should be working on. But this little plot bunny has been quivering in my head for ages. I started writing it on a napkin this evening and it just kept coming and coming… and now, here we are. It's not very well written, I'm afraid, and likely very confusing. But I had fun with it and things will clear up in time, if I actually continue with this.

Please forgive any unrealistic-ness concerning how I describe army/warfare procedure. I have no idea how the U.S. Army does things, let alone how things would be done in Japan.

Because this piece is cameo heavy, I've included some notes at the bottom. There are no OCs here! They are all CLAMP characters, so please read the notes if you are interested.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

**THE SECOND**

_Chapter One: End of a War_

The sounds of the battle had been clear for almost a week, and today the clashes and roars were close. The rhythmic thud of horse hooves seemed to thunder through the prison, and occasionally a man would let out a scream that had once been familiar to him: the voice of the dying.

All the noise made it rather hard for Ni (1) to sleep despite the late hour, but he didn't mind too much. With the battle so close by, the war was at a critical stage, and thus the guards had left to join the fight, leaving no one to heckle or harm him. For that, he was grateful.

For the opposing army to have made it so close to the fort, the Clemites (2) had to be losing. He didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing—as a prisoner, he would become the opposition's property if they were victorious, and while things could be better under them, they could also be worse. He had been in the hands of the Clemites for a long time now; at least with them, he knew what to expect.

He didn't know much about the invaders. He had gleaned from eavesdropping on the guards that there were from a nearby providence in the East. Everything else he'd heard had been slurs, which Ni couldn't take as fact; somehow he doubted every one of the foreign men stank of manure and stole from the poor.

"Ni!"

He turned his head to acknowledge Koryuu, a dark-haired man in trouble for assaulting the wrong man's lover and who inhabited the cell across from his. (3) Koryuu nodded towards the outside. "Care to make a bet?"

He shook his head.

"Well, then, what do you think? Who's going to win? Or do you think the war is just going to keep going on?"

Ni had a feeling that the opposition would be victorious by daybreak—the Clemites had been pushed too close to their base to possibly recover without a miracle. However, he just shrugged.

"Oh, c'mon! I know you have some idea," Koryuu persisted, leaning forward and gripping the bars of his cell. "I heard you used to fight, a long time ago."

"Don't bother him, Koryuu-kun," chided Yuuto, an old rapist a few cells down. (4) Ni remembered that Yuuto had been a very handsome man when he first arrived at the prison, but time had wizened him. "You know he's not going to talk to you."

Koryuu snapped back a retort, but Ni had no interest in listening to another squabble between the two. Instead, he turned back around and leaned against the cool wall, struggling to find sleep amidst the din, and waiting.

* * *

"Ni-san! Ni-san, wake up."

He blinked, looking around and noticing that all the other prisoners were alert. He looked to Yamazaki, the swindler in the cell on his right who had awakened him. (5) Yamazaki intercepted his quiet gaze and explained.

"The fighting has stopped. Listen."

Immediately, Ni noticed the lack of noise and strained his ears. Indeed, he could only hear the faintest of sounds outside: footsteps, horse trots, the occasional shout.

"It got quiet not too long ago," Yamazaki continued. "Sorry to wake you up, but I thought you'd like to know."

He shook his head to show he didn't mind.

"Do you think they'll find us soon?" Koryuu wondered loudly across from him. "Hey, do you think they'll let us go?"

"We're inmates, not prisoners of war. They're not here to liberate us," Yuuto answered, amused. "They'll probably just leave us where we are."

"We could _tell_ them we're prisoners of war." Koryuu suggested, playing with his long bangs.

If Yuuto hadn't been a polite man, he would've snorted. "From what war? This is the first war the Clemites have had in over a hundred years. And we don't look anything like they will."

"What do they look like anyway? I heard none of them have any hair at all."

"Actually," Yamazaki interrupted, "people from the East have hair the color of strawberries. They're also known for having an average height of seven feet, and they are the first and only people to have created a method for traveling under water."

"Seriously?!" Koryuu exclaimed, leaning forward to see Yamazaki better. Several other prisoners had also turned in interest.

Yamazaki smiled kindly. "It's true. Right, Ni-san?"

He looked towards Yamazaki when spoken to and nodded in agreement, though he frankly had no idea. Considering that Yamazaki was in prison for lying to customers though, he doubted the man was a good source for accurate information.

"Wow," Koryuu murmured, convinced after Ni's approval. A few cells down, Yuuto was chucking. "How do they go under water?"

Yamazaki started to answer, but down the corridor a door banged open and two strangers marched in. Both had black hair and neither were anywhere close to seven feet. However, the armor they wore was of a make Ni had never seen before, so they could only be a part of the army from the East. Koryuu shot an accusatory glare at Yamazaki. Then, one of the soldiers looked over his shoulder and shouted, "Colonel!" After a moment, a new man appeared, larger than the others but with much quieter footfalls.

Ni thought the colonel looked like an angry man, the type of man who could easily intimidate others. Though he was probably at least forty, he seemed to still be in good condition and battle-ready, if the blood splattered over his clothes was anything to go by. Both of the soldiers stood up straighter after his arrival.

"It appears to be a prison, sir," the man who had called out stated.

"I can see that."

The man looked as though he would very much like to duck his head in embarrassment, but he restrained himself. "Sir. Shall we proceed to transporting them back, sir?"

Koryuu sat up eagerly, the beginning of an escape plan obviously forming in his head.

But the colonel shook his head. "No. Go inform Lieutenant Colonel Takeshi (6) about the situation. It looks as though there are too many to move." He turned toward the prisoner in the first cell by the door, whom Ni did not know the name of. "You. Are there any more prisons in this fort?"

The inmate shook his head. "Only one here. High security for prisoners with a history for breakouts," he responded honestly. A few of his neighbors glared at him for releasing the information.

The tall colonel turned back to the soldier. "Yes, too many, especially if they've all escaped before. There's no way we could bring them all back to the castle. Takeshi will just have to assign some men to remain here for now. Tell him that."

With another "Sir!", the first solider bowed and hurried off.

"Find out how long it's been since they ate and if needed locate the rations," the colonel ordered the other, quiet solider. The colonel cast one last glance at the prisoners before starting to leave, but then stopped. He turned back around and stared straight at Ni.

Ni froze. The colonel had red eyes, something he'd never seen in all of his years, but that wasn't why a chill pass through him.

The man was staring at him with a look of fear that he wouldn't have thought was possible for a jaded warrior like him. Ni panicked, wondering if this man had fought him before on the battle field and bore a grudge, but he couldn't have been a fraction of Ni's age and he sensed no magic in the colonel. He pressed himself up against the back wall of his cell, trying to get away from the colonel's red eyes, but there was no where to run.

The other prisoners and the soldier were also staring at him, wondering what was going on. "Ni…?" Yamazaki breathed next to him. "What…?"

But the colonel was slowly walking towards Ni's cell, eyes never leaving his face. He cringed as the man stopped before him, hands coming forward to grip the bars of his cell. For a long moment, no one in the prison spoke. Then, a soft whisper of disbelief:

"Fai?"

* * *

A/N: If you are confused, feel free to ask questions, though I may not answer some of them. Most of them will probably be answered over the course of the fic, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

1 – As you may or may not know, "ni" is two in Japanese.

2 – "Clemites" are just a race I made up. They won't be very important as the story goes on, so pay them no mind.

3 - Koryuu is a demon from "Wish" who is always bothering the main character, Kohaku.

4 - Yuuto is one of the Dragons of Earth/Seven Angels from "X" who usually dresses in a manner that resembles a pimp.

5 – Yamazaki is one of Sakura's classmates from "Cardcaptor Sakura" who makes up wild tales about everything and anything.

6 - Takeshi Shukaido is one of the main characters from "Duklyon: Clamp School Defenders" and excels in kendo.

I think that is all that is noteworthy. I hope ya'll enjoyed this fic so far, in spite of its crappiness and brevity.

OH! And if you would, go to my profile and follow the link at the top of the page. A friend of mine is in The Pillows' Youtube contest and needs your help! (It's worth watching the video just to see his epic afro.)

Shameless advertising aside, please review and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!


	2. Calling Names

A/N: Once again, there are so many other things I should be working on, but I've been having too much fun with this fic. Result: a surprisingly speedy update. And a much longer chapter than usual, for me at least.

This fic certainly isn't my best work, but I'm not really taking this seriously enough to bother dolling it up. I'm just trying to enjoy myself. So here, in rough, unedited format, I present to you chapter two.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

**THE SECOND**

_Chapter Two: Calling Names_

"Fai?"

_Fai._ Ni knew that name, though it had been several decades since he'd heard or spoken it. A feeling he couldn't identify welled up inside him, lodging in his throat. _Fai_. The colonel spoke the name with a familiarity that almost made Ni stand up and reach through the bars to grasp at the warrior and scream, _How do you know that name?!_

Ni just shook his head.

At that, the colonel unclenched the bars as though just realizing he'd been clinging to them, the very picture of desperation. He took a step back, seeming to compose himself. When the man spoke again, the wild fear his eyes held earlier had been washed away. "What is your name?"

Ni shrugged, sending the colonel a smile, for lack of better explanation. One of the many things he had learned from the prison guards was that a man with a grin was more likely to be left alone. Though the colonel was clearly getting on in age, he looked like he could still pack a wallop. And the long sword at his hip looked equally dangerous.

The warrior seemed ready to growl in frustration, but then Yamazaki came to Ni's rescue.

"Excuse me, sir? He's called Ni around here."

"Ni? Two?" The colonel turned slightly towards Yamazaki, though Ni noticed the man kept him within his red gaze. "Is that his prisoner number?"

"We don't have numbers," Koryuu jumped in, eager to be a part of the conversation. "He's just always been called that."

The colonel apparently took that as a good enough answer and he returned his full attention to Ni, who was still crouched in the back of the cell. "Why don't you speak?" he asked. Something like realization went over his face, and he added, "You can understand me can't you?"

Ni didn't know how to explain, so he just continued to smile at the angry-looking man regretfully.

"Um, sir?" Yamazaki interjected again. "He can't talk. His throat..."

For the first time, the warrior seemed noticed the thick scar sweeping up and down the prisoner's neck. Ni was pale and the scar was an old one, making it harder to distinguish against the otherwise smooth skin of his neck in the dim cell. Regardless, the ancient wound made it quite obvious what had happened to his voice.

Ni saw the colonel take the most hesitant of steps forward, gloved right hand twitching at his side. As if he couldn't stand to look at him any longer, the colonel whipped around to face Yamazaki. "Why is he in here?"

The swindler raised up his hands apologetically. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I was only transferred here a few weeks ago."

"Pardon me, Colonel-san," Yuuto called from down the corridor. "I've been here for nearly sixty years, and Ni-kun has always been in that cell, since before I got here."

The red-eyed warrior regarded the prisoner. Ni knew he didn't look a day over twenty, if Yuuto's envious remarks were to be believed. "You have strong magic?" he inquired knowingly. (1)

Ni nodded, somewhat surprised at the colonel's insight. Though magic was not rare among the Clemites, the large dose he carried within him was stuff found only in legend. Even in Ni's homeland, magic-users of his skill were uncommon. Perhaps great magic was more often found in the East.

The colonel turned back to the aged rapist. "Do you know what he's here for?" he demanded, repeating the earlier question.

Yuuto hummed thoughtfully. "The rumor that's been passed down among the guards is he was handed over during the war with Ressue (2) as some sort of peace offering." The old man tilted his head, grinning pleasantly. "Of course, whoever it was that put him here has probably died by now, so who knows?"

The man with red eyes looked over at Ni. "Is that true? Are you from Ressue?"

Ni thought about it carefully. If he said no, the colonel might decide that he'd been sentenced to prison for some actual crime. If he said yes, the colonel may think he was too dangerous a character, with his strong magic and history in warfare.

So Ni gave the larger man no answer whatsoever, a vague smile on his lips.

The colonel glared back at him, and then abruptly started walking to the door. "Mukofujiwara! (3)" he barked at the soldier who had remained. Like all the prisoners, he'd stayed rooted in place to watch the strange scene. "After you check the food situation, locate the keys and get this 'Ni' person out."

Ni blinked, finally moving from his position at the rear of his cell to stare at the colonel's broad back. Was he serious? Apparently so, because the order was followed with another. "I want him brought straight to my tent and placed under guard, understand?"

"Yes sir," Mukofujiwara responded, though he looked just as confused as Ni felt. "But, sir—"

However, the colonel had already swept quietly out of the prison hall, leaving its inhabitants and the soldier to stare at Ni in wonder.

* * *

As it turned out, none of them had eaten in two day, not since the battle had begun, so Mukofujiwara was forced to go out in search of the food storage. The second the door swung shut, Koryuu pounced on Ni.

"Ni, who was _that_? Do you know him?"

Ni shook his head, spreading his hands to indicate he knew nothing. Much as he racked his many memories, never in his life could he recall meeting the tall, red-eyed man. Besides, he'd been in this prison since decades before the man could've even been _born_. How could he know him?

And yet, the colonel seemed to recognize him. Ni might've just thought the colonel had mistaken him for someone else. But, _Fai_. He knew the name.

Ni could count on one hand how many people besides him knew that name, and all of them were dead.

Koryuu continued to badger him for information, stopping only when the soldier named Mukofujiwara returned with the ration packets. The food was handed out with stunning efficiency and the mystery of Ni and The Colonel was soon forgotten by the inmates as they dug in. But hungry as Ni was, he couldn't be bothered to even open the small package. Instead, he stuck it through the bars and into Yamazaki's cage.

The young man hesitated. "You sure?" Ni knew he was skinny, but he'd always been like that. Besides, as a new inhabitant of the fort prison, Yamazaki still hadn't quite gotten use to the meager meal sizes, and he was looking on the sick side. Ni shook the package around a little, insistent, and Yamazaki accepted it with sincere thanks.

Mukofujiwara stared at him levelly. "If you're not eating, then I'm going to take you the colonel's tent now. Is that okay?" Ni nodded, so he produced to cell key and unlocked the cell. The solider entered and held up a hand. "Don't stand up yet," he said sternly.

Ni waited patiently as Mukofujiwara bound his wrists together before getting to his feet. As he followed the soldier out of the cell, he was struck by just how long it'd been since he'd last been left it. Just how long it'd been since he'd been _outside_.

Suddenly, Ni's knees felt weak.

Mukofujiwara prodded him—he hadn't realized he's stopped. Ni picked up the pace, turning his head and nodding to acknowledge his former fellow inmates as they called after him. Mukofujiwara navigated them through the fort with ease, occasionally pausing to speak with another solider or superior. Ni paid no mind as this happened, instead focusing on the thought that he was going to feel the_ wind_ and see _grass_ for the first time in, well, over a century he supposed. Ni hadn't kept good track of time after the first twenty years went by. It was something better left unconsidered.

Finally, Mukofujiwara exchanged bows with the latest lieutenant he'd been stopped by, and they proceeded to the final exit and stepped outside.

Though he wasn't a native, Ni could see that the land of Clem had not changed much since he'd last fought on its grounds. The mountains to the West still had the same sharp peaks he remembered and the large lake a few miles from the fort still shone like a mirror under the rising sun. It was morning, and judging from the gold leaves scattered beneath the trees, it was autumn.

Ni shivered and discovered he was crying.

Mukofujiwara looked away politely as he led them towards his cream colored horse. By the time Ni was up on the saddle, there was no evidence of his recent tears.

* * *

Ni couldn't talk of course, and Mukofujiwara apparently wasn't much of a conversationalist, so the ride to the East army's camp passed quickly in silence.

Eventually they arrived and dismounted. As Mukofujiwara tied up his horse with the others, Ni tried to ignore the stares he was receiving. He noticed that all of the East men had black or dark hair with few exceptions—nothing close to his shade of fair blonde. None of the men were nearly as pale as Ni either. It didn't help, of course, that after the war with Clem, the people of Ressue lost their territory and had been forced to migrated to far lands until the memory of them faded from general knowledge. Ni supposed he must look like some sort of otherworldly creature to them, and not a very majestic one, considering his dirty and famished state.

Ni hoped fervently that he'd be given the opportunity to clean up.

Mukofujiwara took him to what was apparently the colonel's tent, and after a moment's hesitation, he opened the flap to let them inside. "This is where you'll be staying, at least until the colonel decides what he's going to do with you." The soldier glared at him with surprising authority for someone of low rank. "Don't touch anything and don't move. I need to find someone to keep an eye on you."

Ni nodded in understanding, and tried to communicate with a smile that he didn't intend to run off. Where would he go? He didn't know anybody, he had no money, he had no voice, and he didn't blend well with the Clemites. What sense would there be in escape?

Mukofujiwara decided to trust him and exited the tent. Once he was gone, Ni turned to examine the place, not that there was much to see, just a futon and other essentials. Ni frowned to himself—surely someone with the rank of colonel could afford to bring some personal effects with him for the long travel that war required. Sure, it was just a temporary shelter, but the bare tent seemed unflinchingly… lonely.

With nothing to do, Ni settled down on the hard ground to wait.

Before long, Mukofujiwara returned with a soldier who introduced himself cheerfully as Nayuki Satoru (4).

"Wow, Ni, you sure are pretty! I wish I had light hair like yours!" The small man beamed.

Ni made sure to smile widely back. A man like this was in the army? Though Nayuki didn't seem to have a bad side at all, if the solider wanted to make friends, Ni was more than happy to remain in his good books.

Mukofujiwara sighed in a long suffering manner. "You're supposed to guard him, not pay him compliments, Satoru."

"Oh, I know!" Nayuki turned toward the serious faced man. "You said the colonel just picked him up randomly at the prison, right? Well, with looks like that—" He waved a hand in Ni's general direction. "It's really no wonder, is it?" Nayuki paused, then added, "Though I didn't think the colonel was interested in men. But since Ni is so pretty, I can see why he was willing to make an exception!"

Ni felt his shy spirits sinking. Was _that _really why the colonel had ordered him released? Ni had been forced to endure that sort of thing before with some of the guards, so it wasn't anything new. But it wasn't something that anyone ever got used to, and he'd had a fledging hope that he had been taken out for less… illicit purposes.

Ni lowered himself again in a corner of the tent, pulling his knees close to his chest best he could with his hands tied.

The two soldiers lingered to chat a little more, Nayuki being warned multiple times to keep a good eye on the prisoner. Then Mukofujiwara left and Nayuki winked at him. "I trust you not to get up to anything. Being in the colonel's tent kind of gives me the creeps, so I'm just going to wait outside. Shout if you want anything."

With that, Ni was left alone.

* * *

Hours past. At one point, the friendly soldier entered with a bowl of soup and rice in each hand for lunch. Ni accepted the food, but left it untouched on the ground. Nayuki tried to talk to him, but Ni couldn't really respond and wasn't being particularly receptive, so Nayuki just smiled and exited again.

Lunch had gone stone cold by the time the near-silent footsteps Ni recognized approached the tent.

Ni heard Nayuki greet his superior respectfully enough and attempt a conversation, but the colonel just dismissed him with a brief word. The tent flap was pushed aside and the colonel entered, his large frame seeming to fill the spacious tent. Ni sank back against the tent pole he was leaning against, trying to make himself smaller.

The colonel frowned at the untouched food, though he didn't seem surprised. He did not, however, seem to anticipate Ni's bound hands.

"Why the hell did they tie you up?" he growled, kneeling and beginning to undue Mukofujiwara's tight knot. "You didn't fight, did you?"

Ni shook his head, staring at the canvas of the opposite tent wall rather than the warrior.

"Tch. Idiots." Knot completely dismantled, he flung the thin rope to the side. "Oi, look at me." Ni forced himself to turn his head, fingers gripping his knee caps. "You don't know me, do you?"

Ni stared at the utterly unfamiliar face. Logically, there was no way for him to have met this forty-something year old man. There was simply no way, because all the people he'd met in the last four decades were guards and inmates, and this man wasn't even from Clem.

But the depth of the brief sadness that crossed the colonel face as he shook his head almost convinced Ni that he had to be mistaken.

The colonel grunted and stood, the instance of melancholy over. "Did either of those two tell you my name?" Ni answered no, and so the tall man continued. "My name is Kurogane. Ku-ro-ga-ne," he emphasized. "I'm a colonel in the Shirasagi army, but you probably figured that out already."

At Ni's silence, the colon—_Kurogane _looked away and sighed, before facing the prisoner again with an unreadable expression.

"Your name… is it Yuui?"

* * *

A/N: Again, please note that I have idea how things are done in the military.

1 – It is mentioned in "Tsubasa", (and implied in "xxxHolic" and "Cardcaptor Sakura"), that people with great magic age very slowly. Yuuko says just before Fai is turned into a vamp that he has already lived Kurogane's age by many times. This brings up to me one of the mysteries of TRC that has always bothered me the most—just how old is Fai anyways?!

2 – Ressue—again, a made up race/nation. Note that "Ressue" is an anagram of "Seresu", which is the Del Ray spelling/translation of the universe in which Fai lived with Ashura. I prefer "Celes", but "Seresu" worked better for anagram purposely. I got lots of good anagrams, but I picked Ressue because it vaguely sounds like Russia.

3 – Mukofujiwara, (try saying _that_ three times fast), is from "Legal Drug". He is the class president of the all-boys school that the main characters attend for a job. He has a stern face, but is far from uncompassionate. (I cannot recall is full name and am too lazy to look it up.)

4 – Nayuki Satoru is also from "Legal Drug", though he is the class vice president. A sunny disposition, but horribly blunt, he is probably my favorite character from the series. (Seeing him explain why boys at all-boys schools inevitably turn to gay sex is a highlight of the series for me.)

When Ni finally walked outside for the first time in decades, I thought of the scene from "The Shawshank Redemption" where the old man is finally let out from prison and doesn't know what to do with himself, so he commits suicide. I teared up during the voice over of him reading his letter back to the prison--one of three movies to have made me cry.

Why is this Kurogane a colonel? Because Roy Mustang is a colonel, that's why! (If you don't know who Roy Mustang is... shame.) I debated between using "colonel" or the Japanese "taisa", but I decided on "colonel" because I liked the way the word looks. Plus, I'm trying to avoid using "fan Japanese", besides honorifics and everyday Japanese things such as tatami mats, etc..

Reviews are wonderful, reviews are great! Please tell me what you think so far and any theories you have! It only takes a moment of your time, unlike the many late hours I slaved away writing this instead of sleeping. Just kidding! But seriously…

Thanks for reading! I hope to update soon!


	3. Washing Away

A/N: This chapter is shorter than the last, but whatever. I tend not to have a word minimum/maximum for my chapters, I just stop it where it feels natural—which is why I tend to have a lot of cliffhangers.

No cliffy this time around though! Not much really happens this chapter, though there is plenty of interaction between Ni and Kuro, not to mention a pinch of backstory.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

**THE SECOND**

_Chapter Three: Washing Away_

"Your name... is it Yuui?"

Ni stared up at the stranger who seemed to continuously utter names that he had long left in the past. If it weren't for the fact that the colonel had dropped the name Fai earlier, Ni would've found it incredibly hard to keep his face passive. _Yuui_. The sound of it made his heart thunder in his throat

Slowly, Ni shook his head again. Fai, Yuui... he'd never been called either of those names.

He'd had always just been the second.

Ni looked the man named Kurogane straight in the eye. With one hand, he pointed to himself. With the other, he raised two fingers high into the air.

Kurogane sighed, palm pressed to his forehead. "You want to just be called Ni?" Ni nodded. "Have it your way, but—" He lowered his hand and met Ni's eyes again, emphatically. "I _know_ you're one of them. There's no point hiding it."

Ni felt a shiver crawl up his spine at the stern red gaze. However, he just beamed up at the man as innocently as possible.

Kurogane huffed, apparently irritated by Ni's constant smiling, but he said nothing of it. Instead, he looked the prisoner up and down and commented, "I suppose you want to bathe."

Ni blinked, remembering how filthy he was. The guards would come to dump water over him in his cell about every other week, usually choosing to do so while he was trying to sleep, but it wasn't a very efficient way of getting clean. Not to mention, the water was _freezing_.

The warrior jerked his head in the direction of the outdoors. "They'll all be eating dinner right now, so if you want, you can bathe in the lake."

Rather than answer, Ni got to his feet eagerly.

Kurogane grunted something that sounded like "Figures," then deftly scooped up a small wicker basket containing some soap and a towel (1) and deposited it into Ni's open hands. "C'mon."

The colonel led him out of the tent and across the camp. The camp was much emptier than it had been when he'd arrived, and Ni appreciated the lack of staring. Some ways off, Ni could hear all the men gathered under an enormous tent, and the smell of food wafted over them. Ni's stomach pinched hungrily, but he ignored it.

The lake seemed smaller than he remembered it being, but it'd been so long since Ni had been up close to it, that he couldn't really say. The moon reflected off its surface, making the water seem smooth and silver. Ni undressed quickly with complete disregard for the other man there. He'd long since stopped caring who saw him.

Ni wondered briefly if Kurogane was also going to bathe, but the question was quickly answered for him.

"I'll be right back," the man muttered, almost seeming embarrassed, if that was even possible. He strode off back towards the camp, hunched shoulders outlined by the firelight. Ni shrugged to himself and stepped into the water, quickly getting used to the icy feeling.

Ni waded out to the deeper area of the lake to swim in the cool water in order to warm up. He'd missed this. When he was younger—much, much younger—he used to swim almost every morning, except on the coldest of days. There'd been a slow moving river not far from where he lived, and he'd hike out there just after sunrise to swim until breakfast, often accompanied by his brother, though the other boy hated getting up so early. However, it wasn't long before the leisure of spending his mornings however he wished was taken from him, and his swims stopped.

He'd returned to the river once before the war started, but by then it had dried up completely.

Thinking of the past made him feel as though stones were being dropped heavily into his gut, so Ni retrieved the soap from the basket at shore and washed himself thoroughly, paying special attention to his hair. It was getting longer again, just brushing his shoulders. Usually, one of the guards came and hacked it off when it got to his mid-back. Ni supposed this was because he wasn't as nice to look at when it was all matted and tangled.

Footsteps interrupted his musings and Ni spun around. The colonel was back, a change of clothes in hand, and looking away from him determinedly. Ni didn't particularly care if his body was looked upon, but he appreciated the sentiment. It'd been a long time since he'd received any semblance of respect from anyone outside of fellow inmates.

As Ni approached, grabbed the towel, and started drying himself, Kurogane still kept his eyes purposely averted. From this, it seemed apparent that the colonel hadn't taken him from the prison to... _use_ him, as the soldier Nayuki had speculated. But Ni couldn't understand any other reason for taking him. Though the warrior seemed to know him, Ni couldn't imagine where from. Not to mention when Kurogane had first noticed him, he'd seemed almost terrified by his presence. Why bring Ni with him if he feared him? Ni couldn't comprehend any other motives.

Done toweling off his hair, Ni accepted the clothes and was surprised to find that they fit perfectly. Kurogane had seemed observant, but most people miscalculated Ni's size—he was taller than he looked.

Fully clothed and pushing the miniscule mystery away for now, Ni stood expectantly with his arms at his side. Kurogane finally looked at him and grunted in what seemed like approval. He bent and retrieved the wicker basket with the soap and towel inside, and Ni noticed that the clothes he'd been wearing previously were gone. "Let's head back then."

Ni trailed behind the man as they walked through the camp again. It seemed the soldiers were still at dinner, though the smell of food had nearly dissipated by now. Somewhere far off, he could hear rowdy laughter.

Kurogane held the tent flap open for him and handed the basket off to him, though he didn't enter himself. "I'm going to go get dinner. Stay here. The less people who see you, the better," he instructed, before letting the flap fall.

Ni wondered at that. Was the colonel possessive or was he worried about him? Or was it that he'd get in trouble with superiors for claiming him?

Ni had stopped mourning the loss of his voice long ago, but suddenly he yearned for it, if only so that he could ask questions. _What do you intend to do with me?_ was at the top of the list, closely followed by _Where did you hear those two names?_ and _Why do you look at me with such a sad expression?_

He turned around to sit down on the ground and blinked. The once nearly empty tent had gained an additional futon as well as a neat stack of clothes, mostly in shades of blue, which seemed intended for him. There was even a pair of shoes; Ni stuck one of his feet in and was startled to see that they fit as well as the clothes. Ni removed his foot and lowered himself hesitantly onto the new futon, wondering how the warrior had got a hold of it so fast. He couldn't have been at the lake _that_ long, could he?

Ni had figured he either be sleeping on the ground or be expected to share a bed with the colonel, neither of which he would have minded too horribly. To have a futon put out just for him, like he was some sort of guest, made Ni feel…

He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but it wasn't a bad feeling at all.

Ni laid back on the futon and contemplated how to say _Thank you!_ with only his hands.

* * *

"Oi! Wake up."

Ni rolled over and opened his eyes to look up blurrily. Kurogane loomed over him, a large bowl of something hot in each hand. "C'mon. I know you're probably tired, but you have to eat."

He held out a bowl to him and Ni took it automatically, still somewhat drugged by his sleep. After blinking wearily a few times, he glanced down at the food he held. Everything seemed edible and some of it was even identifiable, so Ni took the proffered chopsticks and started eating. He had no idea what it was, but it was warm and it was good, so Ni didn't particularly care just what he was sticking in his mouth.

After the fourth or fifth bite, it occurred to Ni that he was being watched. He looked up and discovered a red gaze set upon his hands. Kurogane hadn't started eating yet, and it occurred to Ni that maybe it would've been polite to wait till he had started eating first.

But when he laid down his chopsticks apologetically, Kurogane realized that Ni had noticed his scrutiny and immediately looked away and started eating. "No, it's just—never mind." Ni watched the man curiously until Kurogane jabbed a chopstick at him and growled, "Eat."

Ni did as he was told. Ni had never had food from the East, but everything in his bowl seemed delicious enough. He glanced over at the colonel's bowl and realized that the colonel had food different from his. Ni didn't get that, until it came to mind that if the man knew his shoe size, it'd make sense that he knew Ni's food preferences as well.

Bowl emptied, Ni considered that maybe his magic sensing skills had gotten rusty due to lack of use, and this Kurogane fellow _did _have some sort of power, maybe some form of Eastern mind reading skill.

Looking at the man though, the idea seemed ludicrous.

Suddenly, Kurogane met his stare. "What?" he asked suspiciously.

Ni remembered what he'd wanted to tell the colonel earlier and he set his bowl down. With one hand, he patted the futon. The other, he held up to his chest, then extended it to Kurogane slowly, being sure to smile as sincerely as possible. (2)

Kurogane blinked at him, then frowned. Standing, he took Ni's bowl from him. "You don't need to thank me," he grunted, exiting the tent with the dirty dishes. "Just go back to sleep."

Ni lowered his hands back down to his lap and grinned at them slightly. Kurogane had sounded embarrassed, like the way he'd refused to look at him while he was changing. It was almost funny, that a man of the rank of colonel with such an angry face could be so easily embarrassed and was so furtive about it.

Ni liked that. And not just because it assured him that the strange warrior didn't have any ill intentions for it.

Ni laid back down on the futon and buried his face in the pillow to go to sleep like he'd been told, thinking to himself that…

It was kind of cute.

* * *

A/N: No cameos this chapter, but there are still a few minor notes.

1 – Did they have towels back then? I really don't know and I really don't care.

2 – No, this is not American Sign Language, nor is it a Japanese gesture. This is actually what I do when I thank someone, though I also say "Thanks!" while doing it. I tend to talk really fast and often don't form clear words due to some speech issues, so most of the things I say in everyday conservation are accompanied with a gesture so that people understand me better. I'll be using a lot of my gestures for Ni, since he wouldn't know ASL, nor would he have any reason to know Japanese gestures.

That's all, y'all! Please review, it is very encouraging. I love hearing what you guys think.


	4. Family, Near and Far

A/N: I noticed on the nifty story traffic bar graphs that the country with the most readers of this fic, (other than the USA), is Germany! So, _Hallo! Ich hoffe Sie genießen die Geschichte!_ My German is extraordinarily poor, but my maternal grandmother was a full German, so my mother half-learned the language and thus I've picked up bits and pieces. (It helps that English is like German and Latin's love child.)

I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter, but I haven't been in the proper mood to write Tsubasa fanfiction. When it comes to fanfics, I won't write unless the words are just flowing naturally because otherwise it comes out stilted and is painful for me to write. I did start a Nabari no Ou oneshot collection in-between the updates though, so kindly take a gander at it. If you've never read Nabari no Ou, I STRONGLY recommend it. The basic plot itself is nothing we haven't seen before, but the characters are truly dynamic. Plus, it is one of those series that gets exponentially better with each volume. If you find yourself with free time on hand, please check it out!

Without further delay, here's chapter four!

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

**THE SECOND**

_Chapter Four: Family, Near and Far  
_

"Adin! Duva! (1)"

The first looked up from his position from the floor and rolled over to face his brother. "You think we should let her find us?" he asked.

The second turned away from the window and mused aloud. "She sounds frantic."

"She'll scold us again," the older pointed out, speaking a little more loudly to be heard over the noise of the housekeeper's shouts.

"She might need us for something important," the younger countered.

The brothers stared at one another before turning to face the room's door, which had a slick sheen to its surface. The servant continued to call their names out from behind it, wandering up and down the halls. Sighing, the first boy gestured at the door and muttered, "Show. (2)" The door immediately lost its strange glow.

The second smiled and turned back to staring outside, but not before intoning, "Open. (2)"

Just moments after the door opened itself, the housekeeper, Meiling (3) rushed to the room, panting. "There you are! What have I told you two about this room! It's too—oh, never mind that now." The old woman bent over and grasped her knees, catching her breath for a moment before rising again. "We'll speak about your behavior later, don't think I'll forget," the housekeeper promised, waving an admonishing finger at them sternly. "But, hurry to your room and get dressed in formal robes. I've already sent the girls up to help you."

"Wait, Meiling, why? What's going on?" the first demanded.

The servant had already rushed halfway out the door, but she paused, wringing her hands agitatedly. "We've just received a messenger saying that the Count of Rompiyer (4) will be here shortly! Why they didn't send word earlier, I have no idea! I've got to tell the kitchens at once and—"

"The Count of Ro— you mean father's brother?" the elder brother interjected.

"Your uncle, yes! (5) Now, hurry up, we haven't got much time to prepare!" With that, Meiling dashed off, leaving the twins to stare at one another before following the woman out the door.

Neither of them liked the stiff, heavy ceremonial clothes, but since it was a necessity, they changed hurriedly with the other servants' assistance and made their appearance in the reception hall just in time. Meiling checked over their appearance, attempting to fix their hair and quickly abandoning the task in favor of shouting for the house's staff to line up along the entrance way properly, all the while muttering under her breath about the rudeness of counts.

Just as everyone fell into place to the housekeeper's satisfaction, heavy knocking rang out from the entrance door. Meiling bustled over to it, opening the door and bowing immediately as she did so.

"On behalf of our absent Lord, we welcome you to our home."

The twin's uncle smiled sedately. "Now, now, there's no need for such formalities." He crossed the entrance, alone except for a man that had to be a guard. "We are all family here, yes?"

The first leaned over to whisper in his brother's ear. "Kind of rich coming from someone whose never visited, right?" He snorted, and the second grinned in agreement.

Their uncle was a wide man— not fat, simply broad shouldered. A beard consumed most of his face and his eyes were an unremarkable color. He looked nothing like the young boys, but they had taken mostly after their mother.

Meiling raised herself. "Yes, of course. It is an honor to have you here." She turned to the manor's staff. "Go and finish the preparations in the dining room." The housekeeper then raised a hand to indicate the young twins. "May I present our Lord's sons. The first, Adin." The elder brother bowed his head slightly in a polite greeting. "And the second, Duva." The younger gave greetings as well.

The Count and his guard returned the bow. "Adin and Duva?" he inquired Meiling. "Were you not told their names?"

Meiling sniffed, head held high. "His Lord did not deem the risk necessary. I'm sure you, sir, heard that they'd taken after the late Lady in more than appearance."

The Count smiled, a thin twitch of the lips. "Yes, the news of their power did reach all the way to Rompiyer. Do not worry, I understand the need for secrecy. There are several magicians such as them in my army's ranks." He folded his arms, shifting the conversation. "I'm afraid I have some private matters to discuss with the boys."

Meiling took the hint. "A lunch shall be served soon. Pardon me, but I must oversee the final preparations." With that, she turned heel and departed the hall, skirt flaring behind her.

The Count looked over his shoulder to address his guard. "Go and assist her in any way possible." The guard nodded in quiet assent and left the room as well.

Alone, the Count knelt before his nephews to be eye-level with them. "It is true that I am very glad to meet you two at last, but I am afraid I've arrived with some terrible news," he murmured. When neither of the twins gave him a reply, he sighed and forged on. "It pains me to be the one to inform you that your father has been killed in the war."

Adin gasped aloud and Duva clutched his brother's hand.

"How can that be?" the second asked. "He was not to fight…" His voice wavered.

Their uncle's lips thinned. "I'm afraid I misspoke. He did not die in action; there is suspicion of betrayal among his ranks." He rose, though he remained bent over to speak with them. "As you know, I'm involved in the war with the Clemites myself. The battlefield is a… treacherous place, even among your own men."

Adin had begun crying. The second tightened his grip on his brother's hand. "What's to happen to us?"

The Count stood to his full height. "Your father had asked me before the war reached its height, that if anything were to happen to him, I'd take you two into my own home." He smile at them again, attempting to be reassuring and failing. "I'm sorry, this is so sudden, and we've only just met, but I must ask you what your matushkan names are. (6)"

Duva took a step back, pulling his brother with him. "Why?" he demanded.

The Count bowed his head in deference. "I know it is a lot to ask so soon, especially of magician such as yourselves. However, I must. My castle is heavily warded and I shall need your names if you are to become permanent residents. It will take some time to adjust the wards and I need to return to the battlefield as quickly as I can. I hope to send my guard ahead with your names so that the process may begin sooner."

The crying boy ran his palm over his eyes. "You can't. Our names can't be spread—"

"No, of course I would not be so foolhardy." The Count raised up a hand. "I do understand, truly. I have some magic myself and since all my servants have pled loyalty to me, I can make the information… classified." He stroked his beard, almost nervously. "Please believe me, I would not ask if it were not necessary."

The twins looked at each other, then down the hall of their birth home, and then turned to stare at one another again. The older one nodded at his brother, then faced his uncle, voice still thick with tears. "…My name is Yuui."

The second would not look the Count in the eye. "My name is Fai."

* * *

Something nudged Ni gently in the side. He buried his face deeper into the pillow, unwilling to get up. Though the futon was nothing compared to some of the grand beds Ni had frequented many years ago, it was highly preferable over the cool ground of his cell; Ni didn't feel like leaving it just yet.

"I know you're awake. Now, c'mon, get up." The colonel pushed his foot into him again lightly.

Ni turned over, blinking up at Kurogane. The man was dressed already, outfitted in full armor as though he intended to ride out into battle any minute now. He must have notice Ni's inquisitive stare, for he offered a brief explanation. "I have to go look over things at the fort. There's loads to be done, but hopefully we'll be out of this damn place in a day or two."

Nodding, Ni raised an arm to shield his eyes from the morning light invading the tent. He wanted to ask just who was a part of this collective _we_, but he was too sleepy to bother coming up with a way of communicating this.

Kurogane pointed out down at another bowl beside Ni as well as a mug filled with something Ni didn't identify. "Breakfast," he stated in a tone that implied he expected Ni to eat every bite. He then looked away from Ni's prone form beneath him and frowned at the tent. "Most of the men will be out at the fort, so it would be okay to go outside. I'd rather you stay in here though." He looked back at Ni, who had finally sat up and was trying to fix his messy hair. "I know there's nothing to do in here, but the less people who see you, the better."

Ni nodded again at that, but he didn't intend to obey. Kurogane had been nice towards him thus far, but he wondered what the warrior would do to punish him. He figured it would be better to find out now, rather than later. Besides, Kurogane hadn't said _not_ to leave the tent, he said that he would _prefer_ if he stayed in it.

Kurogane seemed satisfied with Ni's apparent consent and made to leave, though not before pointing down again at the food and drink sternly. Then the tent's flap fell back into place and all that was left of the colonel was the sounds of his feet carrying him away.

Ni wondered why the man was so concerned with making sure he ate. Perhaps because of the lunch he skipped when he first arrived? Or maybe because he figured he hadn't gotten enough at the prison? Ni dismissed the curiosity, shelving the thought in the back of his mind where he kept all of the mysteries that had sprung up since Kurogane's arrival in the prison. Though he really didn't have much of an appetite, he ate all the food, whatever it was. One part of it seemed as though it might've been some form of eggs, but everything else was foreign to him. Ni frowned as he drank whatever was in the mug. Eastern food was definitely different from anything he was used to, though none of it had tasted bad.

Finally getting up from the comfortable futon, Ni considered the pile of clothing meant for him and selected something to wear. The clothes resembled some of robes Ni had had to wear in Ressue, though they seemed to be worn differently, as Ni had observed when he came into the camp. Last night, since he was just going to sleep, he hadn't bothered trying to put them on correctly. Now, he was planning to go outside and as there was little point in drawing extra attention to himself, he figured he should at least try to dress properly.

Once he was satisfied that he at least didn't look like a buffoon, Ni peeked his head out of the tent and confirmed that there was no one in the vicinity. Judging from the smells wafting over the camp, anyone who hadn't left for the fort was eating breakfast under the big tent right now. Ni stepped outside and set off to wander about the camp, wondering what to do with his first full day of freedom.

_If he was indeed free._ Ni, as of yet, had no idea what the colonel planned to do with him.

There really wasn't much to see. Mostly tents everywhere he looked, of all different sizes. Ni entertained the idea of swimming in the lake again, but as tempting as it was, he figured that would be calling unnecessary attention to himself.

After a few minutes of walking aimlessly, Ni came to where he'd first arrived at the camp. Several horses were tied to the post there, each watching him warily with their long tails flicking about. Ni raised one hand up delicately to the horse nearest him, a proud black one, but the large beast tossed his head, ears pressed back, and jerked away as far as it could get.

"Careful. He bites."

Ni turned, startled. He hadn't heard or felt anyone come near, which just proved how out of practice he was. The man behind him didn't seem particularly malicious, but it was the negligence that was troubling. There'd been a time when no one could get ten yards from him without his knowing.

The stranger moved forward and laid a hand on the horse's neck. The animal stilled immediately, but it continued to watch Ni distrustfully. Ni wasn't concerned though; animals had never liked him. "This is Shigatsu. (7)" The man paused, then added, almost as an afterthought, "I'm Doumeki. (8)"

Ni regarded him. The man must've been somewhere in his thirties, and he was taller than most of the other men Ni had seen so far in the camp, though not taller than Kurogane. Though the man did not put on an authoritative front, there was a sort of calm, commanding air to him that left Ni with no doubt that this Doumeki must be some sort of officer.

Smiling in greeting, Ni raised his hands to begin to go through the motions that would explain his name, but Doumeki beat him to it. "You're Ni." Rubbing up and down the bridge of Shigatsu's nose, he continued. "That colonel said to keep an eye out for you."

_Wait._ Did that mean that Kurogane had expected Ni to disobey him? Carefully, Ni made sure not to let the surprise show on his face. If Doumeki noticed any there, he didn't mention it.

"He also said you're a good shot. I'm going to the archery range, are you coming with?"

Good shot? Ni had never been trained in archery. He could fight hand-to-hand, and was pretty good with a knife, but he'd never so much as held a bow in his life. The people he'd learned to fight from had always been more concerned that he'd be able to defend himself if someone got up close, not strike them down from far away. That's what magic was for.

But then again, if this man, Kurogane, knew his clothing sizes and what kinds of food he liked, it stood to reason that his assessment of Ni's skills would be just as accurate.

Ni nodded in agreement. Doumeki turned back to his black horse and gave it a final pat on the head. "C'mon."

* * *

A/N: This isn't where I wanted to stop this chapter, but since I haven't updated in a while, I went ahead. Mostly exposition here; we'll be getting to some nice plot-movement next chapter- Kurogane will finally get called in by superiors for taking Fai as personal property without consent. I already know who one of the officers will be, but does anyone have an idea for who the other superior will be? I'm taking suggestions!

(1) "Adin" and "Duva" is butchered Russian for "one" and "two". I'm no Russian speaker, I just wrote down how they sounded phonetically to my American ears. Besides, it's not meant to be exact Russian anyway, that's just where I'm taking inspiration from.

(2) I considered putting these incantantions in fake-Russian too, but decided to leave it. As for speaking-your-spells, I'm a fan of Loveless, so I've taken some ideas of how I want this world's magic to work from there.

(3) Meiling is a character in the Cardcaptor Sakura anime, though she did not appear in the manga. She is Syaoran's cousin and fiancée, and very bossy and out-spoken. If you've seen the anime, you should understand why I find the idea of her being a housekeeper funny.

(4) Rompiyer is an anagram for Primorye, (also known as Primorsky), the Russian territory that is closest to Japan.

(5) To my best knowledge, Fai's uncle is never named.

(6) More butchered Russian here. "Matushka" is supposedly "mother", so by this I mean the names that were given to them by their mother. More on the significance on true names later, but as Yuuko says, it's never a good idea to give yours out. You see this in Loveless too, when the Zero boys ask the teacher what her name is… and if you've seen/read it, then you know what happens.

(7) "Shigatsu" means "April". No prizes for guessing where the inspiration for that came from.

(8) Doumeki Shizuka is from xxxHolic, and if you didn't know that, you should go stab yourself. If for some reason you don't know him, he is an archer with the inborn ability to repel and exorcise spirits.

Whew! Lots of notes this chapter. I'm just glad it is over, I didn't enjoy writing this one, but it had to be done.

If you please, scooch on over to my profile and vote on the poll there, as it is specifically for this story. Also, please review!


	5. Intentions

A/N: Holy crap, I haven't updated in forever. Partially at fault is the fact that from late October to early December I was really, really ill, which got me behind n school. And after I was all got up, I had to put my energies towards graduating and making I'm all in the clear for college, etc... Anyway, I'm on break now, so hopefully the next update won't be far away.

This chapter isn't particularly exciting, but it is necessary. So, here we go.

Disclaimer: I am not CLAMP.

* * *

**THE SECOND**

_Chapter Five: Intentions_

Like with the shoes, Kurogane proved to be correct again; Ni was a good shot. At the beginning, Ni's arrows littered the ground before the target, but once Doumeki realized that the blonde man had only the vaguest idea of what he was doing, the soldier walked Ni through the proper form, correcting him here and there. Before the sun had fully risen in the sky, Ni was nailing the center of the rings with a stunning accuracy, considering that he'd never held a bow before once in his life.

Although Ni had proved to be good, Doumeki was nothing short of a master. His arrows cut through the air and imbedded in the target with such an ease that they seemed to be an extension of the man's body. Ni watched him move through the steps he'd been shown as naturally as though Doumeki was only breathing. The combination of sharp whistles in the air and Doumeki's smooth motions made Ni feel strangely at peace, and before he knew it, Doumeki began packing his bow away. "Lunch," he explained.

Ni followed Doumeki under the big tent and into the long line. Most of the men turned to stare outright at Ni, but his companion's unfazed manner smothered any nervousness he might've felt. Ni suddenly felt grateful that Kurogane had picked Doumeki to watch over him.

As they moved through the line, Doumeki described each dish briefly to Ni, (Ni carefully avoided anything that involved the words "raw" or "uncooked"), but Doumeki didn't take any food for himself. None of the servers seemed to find this odd, but Ni couldn't help but wonder. Had he eaten a big breakfast? Was he on some sort of Eastern warrior's diet? Doumeki offered no explanation as they sat down at a nearly empty table, and Ni couldn't ask.

Doumeki was quiet as he watched the former prisoner eat, speaking only when approached by fellow soldiers, and shortly then. Most of the men came forward to extract information about Ni, but Doumeki didn't answer any of those questions.

Just as Ni was beginning to feel full, the big tent hushed. Ni turned around to see what had quieted the soldiers and spotted the colonel moving forward, looking distinctly aggravated.

"Come on, we've got to go," the man growled once he was close enough. Ni rose without hesitation, leaving his dirty dishes behind. Kurogane grunted out a "Thanks" to Doumeki, who nodded, then propelled Ni out of the tent, completely ignoring all the men watching them.

They strode through the camp, Ni not bothering to try to determine the cause of his rescuer's foul temper. Before long, they arrived at a large tent with soft magic leaking from it that Ni couldn't identify. It was familiar somehow, but he couldn't place it.

Kurogane shot Ni a significant look that he didn't understand, then pushed the flap of the tent aside and entered.

Two men sat behind a table dominated by a map. Both were rather short in stature, wore glasses, and were slim figured, even by Ni's standards. The physical resemblance ended there. The taller of the two had short, dark hair and a round face (1), while the other's hair was the lightest brown Ni had seen yet in the camp with a sharp featured face (2).

Kurogane bowed, pulling Ni to move with him. As Ni shifted closer, the two men's magic wafted over him and he stiffened as he recalled it.

Dreamseers. Suddenly, it became quite clear to Ni how such small men had ascended to such high ranks. Ni fought the urge to stare at them as his stomach churned, and failed.

The darker man met his gaze and smiled warmly at Ni before looking to Kurogane. The light one didn't even glance at him, frowning at the colonel.

"This isn't like you, Kurogane."

Kurogane made a rude noise as he straightened. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You've never shown an interest in acquiring war trophies before."

"Tch. Doesn't that make me all the more entitled to?"

The light haired officer narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to respond. However, the black haired one raised his hand, quieting his partner. The tension in the room immediately dropped as he lowered his hand. Turning, he addressed the agitated colonel. "I believe it would be best if you told both us and Ni your intentions."

_Finally. _Ni looked to Kurogane expectantly, only to be unsettled by the conflicted expression on his savior's face. After a pregnant pause, the colonel glanced back at Ni, then let loose some of the tension from his shoulders. He faced his commanders, speaking more quietly than Ni had yet heard.

"You've heard of my desire to rebuild Suwa. With a mage of his caliber, it might be possible."

Ni had no idea what or where Suwa was, but it was apparent the generals understood. The kind man's face softened; the other's did just the opposite.

"You can't just break a contract to Amatseru-sama and leave—"

Suddenly, the colonel's cracking anger boomed. "—I made my vows to Princess Tomoyo, not her. I've only hung around these last few years because there was no where else to go." His right hand clenched.

"Even still," the black haired general interjected. "There is a problem." He tilted his chin to Ni, examining him critically for a moment. "You are a magician of Ressue, yes?"

Ni nodded, already knowing where this was going. But for some reason, we didn't want the man to speak his next words.

He looked back at Kurogane. "Then for your purpose, he is useless. I cannot fault you for not knowing, as it is hardly common knowledge, but the voice is required to activate Russuen magic." He paused and let that sink in, then added, "I have no doubt that his throat was cut to ensure he could never escape."

Ni had long accepted that his magic could never be accessed again, but to hear it laid out like that… he shuddered involuntarily, staring at the ground in shame. _Useless_ was indeed the proper word.

"That doesn't matter. I'm still keeping him." Ni looked up and stared at Kurogane, lips opening. "If either of you have any further issue with it, then fuck off. I'll get special permission from Amatseru if I have to, she won't care. But no matter what, he's staying with me."

Explosion over, Kurogane turned heel and stormed out, grabbing onto Ni's arm and dragging him along in the process. Ni let himself be pulled, stumbling after the taller man, shocked by the declaration.

_It doesn't matter?_ How the hell could it not matter? There was no purpose to Ni without his magic, no use except as something pretty to hold in a cage. Something in Ni began to burn. His existence was a senseless one, a waste of space, and Ni would've happily welcomed Death to his door if it had ever come. It would've been nothing more than a conclusion to a long-drawn out life.

_What do you mean 'you're keeping me'?_

Ni dug his feet into the ground, halting their progress through the camp. The colonel stopped, looking back, and Ni ripped his arm away, throwing his hands up into the air.

_Why?_

He nearly shouted it.

_What do you want from me?_

Ni's mouth was opening and closing futilely, gestures frantic, but Kurogane seemed to understand anyway. He shook his head.

"Not here. The tent."

Ni wanted to say no. Ni wanted to stay right where they were and shake the colonel until the answers to all his mysteries spilled out of him and into the dirt. Ni wanted to ask questions and scream until his voice cracked.

But Ni couldn't.

He clenched his fists, nails cutting into his palms. Kurogane scowled and grabbed his wrist, dragging him in the direction of the tent again and halting any attempts at pain. They reached the tent in record time and the colonel released Ni's wrist to close the flaps before pointing down at his futon. "Sit."

Ni almost disobeyed just to be difficult, but Kurogane also dropped down, knees folding more neatly than they should've for someone of his age. Hesitantly, Ni lowered himself.

The colonel raked his gloved hand through his hair, spiking it even more thoroughly. "Ask me then."

The long-time prisoner stared at him. _Ask?_ Ni pressed his lips together. He closed his eyes briefly, wondering where to start, then lifted up his fingers to clasp his throat. He could feel the jagged skin there, running up and down the column of his neck. When he swallowed, the scar tissue obstructed the path slightly, a constant reminder that his voice was never coming back. Ni opened his eyes and found Kurogane watching him.

"Yes, I know you can't talk." He rubbed his left shoulder absent-mindedly, body tense. "I didn't know that your voice was how you worked your kind of magic, but it doesn't make a difference." The colonel must've caught the confusion on his face, because he sighed and continued. "You still _have_ your magic, don't you? I can feel it." Ni nodded, not entirely sure where he was going with this point.

Kurogane seemed to suddenly realize that he was touching his shoulder and immediately stopped, hand falling onto his thigh. "As long as it's there, you can use it. We're just going to have to find another way to bring it out."

Ni narrowed his eyes. Another way? In Ressue, speech was the _only_ way. The language was sacred, and the country was saturated with traditions to maintain the language's divinity. He'd never heard of magicians performing in any other way— even those he fought in the war with Clem had relied on their words.

Kurogane rose, and snagged a canister from among his things. He took a deep drink some it, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm no expert, but where I'm from, most magic users don't use incantations. There's finger formations, circles, visualization… runes." The man paused and drank some more. "…You need words don't you?" Ni nodded. "Then why don't you try activating through written spells?"

Ni shook his head emphatically, waving his hands in front of his chest.

"You don't know how to write? Not even your own language?"

Ni laid his hands in his lap. It wasn't that he didn't know how to write it—there just wasn't anything to write. In Ressue, there had been no written language, as part of the laws to keep words sacred for magic. But Ni didn't know how to explain this to Kurogane with only his gestures and expression.

Kurogane was rubbing his left-shoulder again, but he didn't seem to notice. The colonel looked more tired than Ni had yet seen him. "I don't know any Ressuen. But I can teach you how to write in my language." He took another sip of whatever it was in his canister and added, "Speaking the spells is probably just for clarifying the intent (3), since the power is coming from the caster. In that case, written or spoken, different languages… it shouldn't matter."

Ni tumbled the theory around in his head. It seemed logical, but he wasn't sure the idea would stand true in practice; prior to his imprisonment, his daily life had been consumed with perfecting his magical prowess, and he didn't think he could just up and reject all that training for a new way of doing things.

Still, the thought that he may be able to take rein of his magic once more… it made something glow deep in Ni's chest.

"Well?" The colonel had apparently run about of patience. "Are you okay with learning or not?"

Ni beamed and nodded with exaggerated eagerness. Kurogane made a "tch!" sound but did not comment as he stood.

"I am going to grab some food. Did you get enough to eat with Doumeki?" Ni nodded. "Okay then. I don't have any of the proper materials here, so writing lessons will have to wait until we get back to the castle." Kurogane rubbed his spiky-haired head as he exited the tent and muttered so low that Ni nearly didn't hear:

"_Never thought I'd have to do this again." _

* * *

A/N: Nobody mentioned by name here, but still.

(1) The kinder, dark-haired officer is Eriol Hiirragizawa from "Cardcaptor Sakura", a partial reincarntion of Clow Reed. (The anime and manga differ on their explanations of Eriol, but I'm going with the anime's because it makes more sense.) Eriol is polite to a fault, but also a stern-handed trainer. As as you can imagine, since he's a reincarnation of Clow Reed, he is also very powerful magically.

(2) The light-haired and somewhat bitchy officer is none other than Kakei from "Legal Drug," the owner of the drug store, the main character's boss, and a seer of the future. Despite his pretty face, he is actually rather scary and lacks mercy, especially in money matters.

(3) CLAMP has never really clarified the exact nature of magic according to their universe's laws. But since we seen a few different types of casting throughout their series, I'm going to pin it down to a cultural thing, that each kind of magic-user simply goes with the kind of casting that they were taught or feel most comfortable with. And it is possible to switch how you cast- Fai himself does so when he whistles to create the magical barrier at the library rather than using runes like he usually does.

Sorry that this chapter is shorter than others, but I wanted to get something up since it has been so long. Chapter six should be arriving sometime soon! Thanks for reading and please review!


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